Book Review: A Heart Aflame for God by Matthew C Bingham

The Bible says we are to guard our heart (Proverbs 4:23), workout our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12), and grow in the grace of the Lord Jesus (2 Peter 3:18), however there some Christians that might look at this and say it sound like we are trying to maintain our salvation because we can lose it.

We are saved by grace through faith, yet we are to make every effort to grow in our walk with Christ. There are some good materials out there that are helpful while others not so much. 

What about getting practical ideas from those who have gone before us, like the Puritans, that can assist us in growing spiritually. To help us grow in that grace of Christ 2 Peter 3:18 addresses. This is what Matthew Bingham addresses in his book, A Heart Aflame for God: A Reformed Approach to Spiritual Formation.

Bingham looks at Puritan Piety for how modern Christians can grow in their faith not as a means to gain salvation but as a result of their salvation. Growing in grace is the proper response for all believers. Bingham addresses how the Puritans used scripture, meditation, and prayer as spiritual disciplines. 

One area I really appreciated from Bingham was the area of self-examination. Self-examination may seem like doubting your salvation to some, but it is really not. What Bingham is writing about is we need to examine ourselves to fight against the indwelling sin that is in us. We need to see where our blind spots are at times and that requires examining ourselves. The result of this should lead us to, as Bingham writes, confession, repentance, and a renewed sense of gospel assurance. 

There are some that think that spiritual disciplines are a more modern approach to grow in the faith. I am thankful that Bingham wrote this book showing how the Puritans grew in their faith and that spiritual disciplines are not a new concept. 

I received this book from Crossway in exchange for an honest review.